I have faith that Pop Embassy will bring just the right amount of gasoline to help this Paulini comeback blow up on the airwaves.
It’s no secret that I’m rather fond of Paulini. I mean, bitch, I dropped my bag of groceries at the door when I heard the ‘Fireman’ video had leaked and blogged about it immediately.
While I feel like I’ve already expressed everything I had in mind about the song, I reckon it’s now up to the girl and it’s down to the public’s willingness to embrace this fiercer new look and sound.
Can they handle it? I don’t think they can handle it.
Paulini came up with the concept for ’Fireman’ in New York last year when she was out there writing material for the forthcoming album and noticed how women in Brooklyn went mad at the sound of a fire truck driving past because it bore the promise of hot firefighters.
Ladies, please, the Mother Teresa humanitarian in me would be praying for casualties wherever the truck was headed but hey, let this be a lesson to you all – we absolutely need to be more aware of potential hot men in the vicinity.
‘Fireman’ was co-written and recorded in Germany with Alfred ‘The Angel’ Tuohey and Mimoza Blinsson, who have both worked on material for Cascada and Allstar Weekend.
Footnotes:
Paulini will send out ‘Fireman’ to Aussie iTunes tomorrow, 10 February. The long-awaited third studio album is expected to drop mid 2012.
Don’t nobody call this the sequel to the career-defining ‘Boy Is Mine’ because we’re not dealing with girls fighting over some scrub no more. This is some grown ass women business right here.
Brandy and Monica have finally reunited for their first duet in 14 years and naturally what we’re all looking for is another massive, radio-ready smash to recapture some commercial grounds.
Unfortunately, this sassy semi-dated soul ballad screams more “track nine” than headlining single. ‘It All Belongs To Me’ is not here to deliver the same soap opera stuff that made ’Boy Is Mine’ so addictive and fun to lip synch to with your gay best friend.
This feels more like a recitation from the same chapter and verse of Beyoncé‘s ‘Irreplaceable’ with both Brandy and Monica dismissing their men and insisting that he leaves behind all the luxuries he’s been provided with.
“I know you’re mad, can’t take no more. But put that back, that ain’t yours. Have a fit, slam the door. But leave the bags on the floor, that sh*t belongs to me!”
Producer Rico Love – who has hemmed some proper hits for the likes of Kelly Rowland and Usher – really didn’t bother with an adequate and modern backdrop for this eagerly awaited comeback duet.
You shouldn’t have to play this after ‘Boy Is Mine’ and find that Darkchild‘s production some 14 years ago still sounds more cutting edge than ‘It All Belongs To Me’.
Having said that, there’s undeniable delight in my loins to hear these two fabulous 90s R&B divas sharing a warble once again. It’s clear to the ears that these two women have simply gotten better with age as vocalists and emotive artists whose selling points are music from the heart. [Editor's note: gagging at that cheesy description, Limoncé.]
Listen to Brandy and Monica‘s ‘It Belongs To Me’:
Footnotes:
‘It Belongs To Me’ will be released digitally on 13 February in the States and will impact rhythmic and urban contemporary stations on 21 February.
The song will appear on Monica‘s forthcoming album New Life, which arrives in April, and Brandy‘s as-yet-untitled comeback album, which has been pushed back to later this year.
Lana Del Rey cleans up the UK album charts this week and I sense this takeover is only the first of many more all over the world.
On this week’s Chart Feed, there’s an unusually high representation of Australian artists on the Australian singles Top 40. All up there’s eight of them, nine if you count Sia‘s appearance on Flo Rida‘s current #1 single ‘Wild Ones’. Speaking of Sia, she’s now working it with a #1 single in the UK and Australia. It’s all coins in the bank for our gurl.
Elsewhere, dismally low album sales sees half the US Top 20 invaded by new releases from the likes of Tim McGraw, Ingrid Michaelson and Kellie Pickler.
Let’s not get it twisted. This is not Madonna‘s finest and most on-point single in the history of herstory. But that’s not to say that we can’t all have a good time gushing over the fucking A-grade music video and the joy it brings to our world.
‘Give Me All Your Luvin” is the first single unleashed from the pop queen’s forthcoming “action-packed” album MDNA. Even though I feel like the cheerleader chants and robo-rocking Martin Solveig beats are serving enough freshness, there’s something despicably booger about her vocal performance here. For a beat that kicks as hard as it does, Madonna‘s reductive delivery is really underselling the song’s potential. And don’t even get me started on the redundant Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. rap verses.
Just like it was when ’4 Minutes’ opened her Hard Candy era, I feel like once the album arrives, nobody’s gonna be checking for ‘Give Me All Your Luvin”. This can’t possibly be the best and most addictive track MDNA has to offer.
But what’s really interesting about my ‘GMAYL’ experience is that, none of that shit about them basic ass vocals seem to matter when I watch the video.
French video director team Megaforce – who had done music videos for Tame Impala and Kid Cudi in the past – delivered a touchdown production that unfolds like a super captivating commercial you can’t take your eyes off. Yes, you’ll notice and rave on about the elaborate choreography and for the die-hard stans, there’s even a healthy dose of Madonna iconography to be spotted – but really, I reckon the biggest deal with ‘GMAYL’ is how fierce and rejuvenated the old girl is looking.
Who’s that girl?
First, there was that impossibly youthful single artwork where the 53-year old music veteran is somehow turning it out like a 19 year-old model in an American Apparel ad.
Now here she comes strutting like a boss in something surprisingly flattering, rocking fingerless gloves covering up them dinosaur claws and softened blonde tresses to accentuate her youthfully plump face. She literally looks about 20 years younger than what she really is. I am thoroughly living for this.
References to Old Testament Madonna.
You really don’t need a PhD in Madgology to pick up the references ‘Give Me All Your Luvin” is throwing to old school Madonna.
The idea of having men fuss about her and treat her like a queen is like a throw back to the ‘Material Girl’ video. The huge gold crucifix she’s rocking recalls a lot of the old religious symbolisms she exploited back in the day that established her as such a controversial pop music figure. And even the Monroe wig fiasco’s easily identifiable as a flashback to the Blonde Ambition era.
Fundonna.
If you don’t take anything away from this ‘GMAYL’ video experience, at least try to understand that this is the first properly fun and frivolous Madonna video we’ve had in years where she looks happy, isn’t actually oversexing her performance, or trying to pummel us with a political statement.
Watch the video for ‘Give Me All Your Luvin”:
Footnotes:
Madonna released ‘Give Me All Your Luvin” and opened up pre-orders for the exclusive iTunes edition of MDNA yesterday.
The deluxe edition will feature three additional tracks, one of them will be a remix of ‘Give Me All Your Luvin” featuring Nicki Minaj and LMFAO.
Sam Sparro, you fabulous fag, you. I’ve never been happier to hear of your return, especially when you come bearing gifts like this here nouveau disco stomper.
The sexy Aussie pop singer who first came all over our eardrums with the bewitching ‘Black and Gold’ is now back with the first proper taste of his second album: Return To Paradise.
‘The Shallow End’ is by far the most musically joyous and multi-dimensional record the man has ever served. There is a sense of experimentation, referencing 70s disco philosophies with funk and soul to create a beat and melody no guilty feet can ignore.
Y’know, Sam is very much a sensational soul vocalist and intelligent songwriter so I really can’t imagine him ever popping out anything trivial and throwaway. ‘The Shallow End’ is such a splendid celebration of fun-seekers and “the shallow types”, if you will - “they say we’re crazy and yeah that’s probably true! And crazy means you do what you wanna do. But please don’t you forget that the crazy people need love too.”
Watch the music video for ‘The Shallow End’, which features footage of Sam recording his second album:
That sax solo fucking slays, you guys.
Footnotes:
Sam Sparro is expected to drop his second album Return To Paradise in May. He has announced that the project will be a collection of 80s electro soul, disco stompers and some beautiful ballads.
Some of the talents involved in making Paradise include Greg Kurstin (who has worked with the likes of Lily Allen and The Bird & The Bee), fellow Aussie Jono Sloan (Empire of The Sun), Lester Mendez (producer behind Jewel‘s 0304) and Swedish pop sensation Erik Hassle.
The album’s lead single ‘Happiness’ was just serviced to local radios today.
How challenging would it be for me to recreate this video – in full drag – at St Kilda beach? Godbecca Ferguson, you’ve just inspired a new summer project.
The stunning UK X Factor soul songstress is serving us a textbook example “British popstar-discovers-American-summer” music video. Look at mama strolling down the sidewalks of Venice Beach, L.A. in a flowing red dress, just soaking up the sun and local talent.
We’ve seen Natasha Bedingfield tackle a similar concept in the US version of ‘These Words’ and even Joss Stone herself has probably channeled something similar circa Introducing Joss Stone.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not casting stones here. I absolutely love seeing this side of Rebecca – more radiant and more poised for Stateside domination.
Everything about this image, styling and single conveys a readiness for the American market – the video was strategically designed to pull up focus on just Rebecca. No troupe of dancers or gospel choir – what a shame – to distract our attention from her elegance. Simplicity is the key
Even though ‘Too Good To Lose’ didn’t strike me as a potential single at the first run, I am prepared to concede that the video and song has grown on me and I now wholeheartedly support this move.
The thing about Godbecca‘s style is that, she just brings warmth and effortless soul into everything she does. And this video just came to enhance what she’s already naturally working with.
Having said that, I believe this bitch is not the push over shrinking violet everyone thinks she is. My favourite Godbecca moment so far is how she reportedly put her foot down when asked to do something she didn’t want to by saying to Simon Cowell, “I’m from Liverpool. Do you think I’m stupid?”
With a little bit of coaching and quality time spent with queens, I believe our gurl can truly upgrade this to the level of Mystique Summers Madison‘s “Bitch, I am from Chicago!” greatness.
Watch sweet petal darling Rebecca Ferguson‘s ‘Too Good To Lose’ video:
Footnotes:
Rebecca Ferguson will release ‘Too Good To Lose’ in the UK on 4 March. Check out our gurl serving a little country realness on the b-side ‘On and On’.
Rebecca‘s debut album Heaven has to date sold over 500,000 copies in the UK and she’s about to head on tour next month.
I know a lot of y’all would get up and excuse yourself to the bathroom like it was interval whenever a Kelendria ballad comes on but this, no, this is worth staying seated for.
‘Keep It Between Us’ is the fourth official single from Kelly‘s solid Here I Am album [Editor's note: Actually, seventh, if you include the ones she launched pre-'Motivation'].
It’s the first single Kelendria Trene has launched in recent history that isn’t tastefully referencing some kind of sexual activity or position. This is also the first tender, romantic ballad the girl has serviced to radios since ‘Train On A Track’ some eight years ago – so in many ways, ‘Keep It Between Us’ is a mild shock to the system.
The Christopher Umana-produced slow jam is simply gorgeous, intimate and effortless, with Kelly serenading her boo with some choice lines like “just a plain old girl, I don’t need nothing. They say ‘you got it all’, but they don’t know that all is you…”
L’amour, l’amour.
It’s totally fitting to see Kelendria shoot the ‘Keep It Between Us’ video in Paris – a city that’s universally recognised for its romantic atmosphere and beauty. I really wished there were more shots of the couple spending time together around town – like the scenes of them at the cafe, walking down the street and such.
This serves my own curiosity because I’m actually going to visit Paris for the first time this June, so bitch, I was counting on you to set the tone and pitch me some romantic ideals.
Watch Kelly Rowland‘s ‘Keep It Between Us’ music video, starring American actor Lance Gross who had previously appeared in other Destiny’s Child-adjacent music videos for LeToya Luckett and Solange.
Footnotes:
Kelly Rowland‘s ‘Keep It Between Us’ is coming correct for the Valentine’s Day season. Meanwhile over in the UK, her R&B single ‘Lay It On Me’ is climbing up the charts.
